What is the ‘Map of Nope’ and what does it tell us about the solar eclipse on April 8
Parts of the United States will have a great view of the solar eclipse to take place on 8 April... others... won’t see a thing. Which zone are you in?
On 8 April, North America will experience a solar eclipse, passing over parts of all three countries.
Follow solar eclipse in USA 2024 live online: reactions, best images and latest news.
What exactly is a solar eclipse? It is a celestial phenomenon that describes when the Sun is completely blocked by the moon, leading the sky to appear as it does at dusk or dawn because less light can travel to the area. Totality refers to areas where the lack of light makes the sky appear as if it were night, and NASA predicts that residents of Mexico’s Pacific coast will be the first to experience it around 11:07 a.m. PDT. If you find yourself in the path of totality, you can take off your eyewear when the sky darkens, and also take a little time to look Earthward to check out how the colors around you are changing. However, those outside those areas should always wear protective eyewear.
Which states are in the totality path?
According to NASA, the eclipse will travel north to Texas and pass “through [to] Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.”
For those in Canada, it will be visible in South Ontario, and later “Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia [exiting...] continental North America on the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland, Canada, at 5:16 p.m. NDT.”
GreatAmericanEclipse.com provides excellent resources to identify where the path of totality will fall in each state. To nail the point home, they have created the “Map of Nope” that points out where totality will fall and where it will not. Besides the more carefully crafted resources, this map can help people identify the best viewing states near them and protect their eyes if they are not actually in the path of totality.
How to safely watch a partial solar eclipse
Regardless of whether an eclipse is ongoing or not, one should never look directly into the Sun with the naked eye. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, doing so can cause serious eye damage, even if it is just for a short time.
You should only use solar eclipse glasses from companies whose products have been certified safe by authorities and purchased from reputable manufacturers. The American Astronomical Society provides a list of manufacturers and authorized dealers of eclipse glasses and handheld solar viewers that meet international standards for viewing a solar eclipse.